Language Unexpected

 I don't know if it was the fire in the fireplace or what, but inspiration came swarming around me like honeybees that I couldn't deny or ignore. I think reading by fire light helped, but in all honesty, it was the book I was rereading, 'The Stories We Tell' by Joanna Gaines.

 I had read this book in the beginning of the year when everything feels fresh, new, and exciting with more than a dash of hope for what's ahead. It feels like you are flipping to a new page, peeling a sheer piece of clean, fresh paper. I felt like it was a good start to the new year, as there were exciting things ahead. And I was continuing with Russian study, finding an online conversation partner and studying when I could and blogging about it.

These days those times have felt long behind me. With rather challenging and hard months passed me, I've lost sight of the joy and inspiration of language study, and especially Russian. It hasn't been on my radar for quite some time and the days when it did now feel distant, obscure and from the past. But I know I've missed those times and felt nostalgia for them, remembering when there was enjoyment and for the sake of just because I wanted to. 

Like I wrote, rereading Gaines' book resurfaced those memories and inspiration for it. In some ways also, her writing style has allowed me to be honest with myself too- to remember my story with language learning and in particular with Russian. To let those true feelings of inspiration and purpose come back in full view, not to force anything but to allow for things to flow, and to just be me, with no pressure or expectation on the horizon. 

So, right after reading for a little bit, I left the fire, went to my room, pulled out my Russian textbook and notebook and picked off again where I left off. It felt nice. But more than that, it felt natural, inspiring. It was like I was opening up a part of myself I left closed or semi- forgotten for weeks on end. And the cool thing is to see progress, and I knew my interest and passion hadn't faded nor my memory of learning. That's what makes it also worthwhile, to see the process and also to notice the progress. 

*I wrote a similar blogpost on my Russian language blog, kofeynya (kofe-ynya.blogspot.com)